Four Peaks Annual Oktoberfest Event Goes Virtual For 2020

TEMPE, AZ — An annual Tempe staple is the latest casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

Four Peaks Brewing Company will move its annual Oktoberfest celebration online in 2020 and livestream it on Facebook. The event will stream Saturday from 2 - 5:30 p.m. The event supports Tempe Sister Cities, a nonprofit offering student exchange programs to support international goodwill and cultural understanding.

"For obvious reasons, the celebration is cancelled this year, and without it, Tempe Sister Cities will be without a good portion of its budget in 2021," the brewery said in a statement. "So we put together a virtual version of the festival that not only raises funds and awareness for a valuable program, but also includes a lot of what makes the Four Peaks Oktoberfest so great."

Tempe Mayor Corey Woods will kick off the virtual celebration with the tapping of the keg. Beer enthusiasts will also have the chance to take part in beer-themed trivia, wiener dog races, a virtual chicken dance, educational seminars on traditional German food and beer, and several performances from local bands and polka musicians.

The entire festival will be free to view.